“The Spaniards were more than two to one, and yet he beat them!”
“He did; but it was a hard and desperate struggle, hand to hand and blade to blade. Twice did John Sykes, the coxswain, save Nelson’s life, by parrying off blows that would have destroyed him, and once did he interpose his head to receive the blow of a Spanish sabre; but he would willingly have died for his admiral.”
“Was poor Sykes killed, or was he only wounded?”
“Wounded badly, but not killed.”
“That’s right, for he was a faithful fellow. It would have been a sad pity if he had been killed.”
“When Nelson’s health was established after the loss of his arm, he sent to the minister of St. George’s, Hanover-square, the following desire to offer up his thanksgiving:—‘An officer desires to return thanks to Almighty God for his perfect recovery from a severe wound, and also for the many mercies bestowed on him.’”
“He was humble enough, then, to be thankful to God.”
“He was; and continued so in the midst of all his successes. I will give you an instance of his coolness in the hour of danger. The late Lieutenant-general the Hon. Sir William Stewart, as lieutenant-colonel of the rifle-brigade, embarked to do duty in the fleet which was led by Sir Hyde Parker and Nelson, to the attack of Copenhagen in 1801. ‘I was,’ says he, ‘with Lord Nelson when he wrote the note to the Crown Prince of Denmark, proposing terms of arrangement.’ A cannonball struck off the head of the boy who was crossing the cabin with the light to seal it. ‘Bring another candle,’ said his lordship. I observed, that I thought it might very well be sent as it was, for it would not be expected that the usual forms could be observed at such a moment. ‘That is the very thing that I should wish to avoid, Colonel,’ replied he, ‘for if the least appearance of precipitation were perceptible in the manner of sending this note, it might spoil all.’ Another candle being now brought, his lordship sealed the letter, carefully enclosed in an envelope, with a seal bearing his coat-of-arms and coronet, and delivered it to the officer in waiting to receive it. It is said that the moment was a critical one, and that Lord Nelson’s note decided the event.”
“Why, the next ball to that which took off the boy’s head might have killed Nelson, and yet he seems to have felt no fear at all.”
“A brave man may feel fear, but it will not keep him from the discharge of what he looks upon as his duty.”